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only opens their optics, and shows them the way to slavery and folly.

The generality of mankind are its slaves and vassals, and it makes more conquests than powder and bullet. Let you and me keep out of its reach, lest we become captives to its power and supremacy, lose our liberties and freedoms and turn idolaters in our declining years, as too many have done. As yet, I hope we are pretty free, and secure from its insults. Let us stand upon our guard, and rather conquer than yield to its force and power; for it useth all its prisoners like galley-slaves, and keeps them in a perpetual drudgery; it is an idolater in the Indies, a Jew all the world over, a Mahometan at Constantinople, a false Christian at Rome, and every thing in Great Britain; what it is at Leeds your Aldermen can tell. I am sure it has little footing at Barwick, where we are all poor Palatines and Camisars, i.e. hardly with a shirt.

Adieu, my friend. I am

Your's more than gold's.

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C.

To Lawrence Hyde, created Earl of Rochester in 1682, Nell Gwynne caused to be dictated (for 'the indiscreetest and wildest of creatures' could not write herself) this sprightly and vulgar letter, which is published in the Camden Miscellany' from Mr. Tite's collection of autographs. An editorial note says, 'It is scarcely possible to conceive a composition more characteristic both in style and contents than this most singular effusion.'

Nell Gwynne to Lawrence Hyde.

[Probably 1678.]

Pray Deare Mr Hide forgive me for not writeing to you before now for the reasone is I have bin sick thre months and sinse I recovered I have had nothing to intertaine you withall nor have nothing now worth writing but that I can holde no longer to let you know I never have ben in any companie wethout drinking your health for I love you with all my soule. The Pel Mel is now to me a dismale plase sinse I have uterly lost Sr Car Scupe never to be recovrd agane. Mrs Knights' Lady mothers dead &

1 Mrs Knight, a rival of Nell Gwynne's at the Court of Charles II.

she has put up a scutchin no beiger then my Lady Grins scuchins. My lord Rochester is gon in the cuntrie. Mr. Savil has got a misfortune, but is upon recovery & is to marry an hairres, who I thinke wont have an ill time on't if he holds up his thumb. My lord of Dorscit apiers wonse in thee munths, for he drinkes aile with Shadwell and Mr Haris at the Dukes house all day long. My Lord Burford 2 remimbers his sarvis to you. My Lord Bauclaire3 is goeing into france. we are a goeing to supe with the king at Whithall & my lady Harvie. The king remembers his sarvis to you. now lets talke of state affairs, for we never caried things so cunningly as now for we dont know whether we shall have pesce or war, but I am for war and for no other reason but that you may come home. I have a thousand merry conseets, but I cant make her write um & therefore you must take the will for the deed. good bye. your most loveing obedunt faithfull humbel

Sarvant

E. G.

CI.

From his house at the corner of Southampton Street, the site of the present British Museum, Sir Hans Sloane supplied his great friend Ray with books, specimens, and every sort of intelligence which could be of service to him in his scientific observations. It is strange to find in the last year of the seventeenth century such a spectacle as this tiger-fight publicly patronised by the élite of London.

Sir Hans Sloane to John Ray.

London: March 9, 1698-9. Sir, This day a large tiger was baited by three beardogs, one after another. The first dog he killed; the second was a match for him, and sometimes he had the better, sometimes the dog; but the battle was at last drawn, and neither cared for engaging any farther. The third dog had likewise sometimes the better and sometimes the worse of it, and it came also to a drawn battle. But the wisest dog of all was a fourth, that neither by fair means nor foul could be brought to go within reach of the tiger, who was

1 A great Shakespearean actor.

2 Son of Nell Gwynne.
8 Second son of Nell Gwynne.

chained in the middle of a large cockpit. The owner got about £300 for this show, the best seats being a guinea, and the worst five shillings. The tiger used his paws very much to cuff his adversaries with, and sometimes would exert his claws, but not often, using his jaws most, and aiming at under or upper sides of the neck, where wounds are dangerous. He had a fowl given him alive, which, by means of his feet and mouth, he very artfully first plucked and then eat; the feathers, such as got into his mouth, being troublesome. The remainders of his drink in which he has lapped, is said by his keeper to kill dogs and other animals that drink after him, being by his foam made poisonous and ropy. I hope you will pardon this tedious narration, because I am apt to think it is very rare that such a battle happens, or such a fine tiger is seen here.

I am, &c.

CII.

An essential feature of the reign of Queen Anne was the invasion of literature by politics. Pamphlets and lampoons were the chief weapons of political warfare, and each political party had its special champions. This letter refers to Daniel De Foe's acceptance of an engagement to write for the Earl of Halifax. The most fertile author of his day, De Foe had always been an ardent polemicist, both in prose and doggrel; and his hatred of the Stuarts and predisposition to Dissent kept his pen continually employed against Tories and Churchmen, and exposed him to ruinous fines, imprisonment, and the pillory.

At the late age of fifty-eight he forsook political tripotage, and began to write 'Robinson Crusoe,' and the novels which have immortalised him.

Daniel De Foe to the Earl of Halifax.

April 5, 1705.

My Lord,-I most humbly thank your Lordship, for expressions of your favour and goodness which I had as little reason to expect from your Lordship as I have capassity to merit.

My Lord Treasurer has frequently express'd himself with concern on my behalf, and Mr Secretary Harley the like; but I, my Lord, am like the Cripple at the Pool; when the moment happen'd, no man was at hand to put the wretch into the water: and my talent of sollicitation is absolutely a Cripple, and unquallifyed to help itself.

I wish your Lordship could understand by my imperfect expression the sense I have of your unexpected goodness in mentioning me to my Lord Treasurer. I could be very well pleased to wait till your merit and the Nation's want of you shall place your Lordship in that part of the Publick affaires, where I might owe any benefitt I shall receive from it, to your goodness, and might be able to act something for your service, as well as that of the Publick. My Lord, the proposall your Lordship was pleas'd to make by my brother the bearer, is exceeding pleasant to me to perform, as well as usefull to be done, agreeable to every thing the masterly genius of your Lordship has produc'd in this age; but my missfortune is, the bearer, whose head is not that way, has given me so imperfect an account, that makes me your Lordship's most humble petitioner for some hints to ground my observations upon.

I was wholly ignorant of the design of that act, not knowing it had such a noble originall. Pardon my importunate application to your Lordship for some hints of the substance and design of that act, and if your Lordship please the names again of some books which my dull messenger forgott, and which your Lordship was pleas'd to say had spoke to this head.

I the rather press your Lordship on this head, because the very next Article which of course I proposed to enter upon in the Review being that of paper credit, I shall at once do myself the honour to obey your Lordship's dictate, and observe the stated order of the discourse I am upon. I shall not presume to offer it against your Lordship's opinion, and would be farthest of all from exposing your Lordship to any tongues; but if ever your Lordship shall think this despicable thing, who scorn'd to come out of Newgate at the price of betraying a dead Master, or discovering those things which no body would have been the worse for, fitt to be trusted in your presence, tho' never so much incognito, he will certainly, exclusive of what he may communicate to your Lordship for the publick service, receive from you such instructions as are suitable to your known genius, and the benefitt of the Nation.

I have herewith sent your Lordship another book; I know your Lordship has but a few minutes to spare, but I am your Lordship's humble petitioner, to bestow an hour on its contents, because it is likely to make some noise in the world, and perhaps to come before your Lordship in Parliament.

I forbear to divert your more serious thoughts, which particulars I humbly thank your Lordship for the freedom of access you were pleas'd to give my messenger, and am extreamly ambitious of listing myself under your Lordship, in that cause, in which your Lordship was allwayes embarkt, viz, of Truth and Liberty.

I am,

May it please your Lordship,
Your Lordship's

Most humble and obedt Servt,

D. FOE.

CIII.

This letter of thanks is in De Foe's best manner.

Daniel De Foe to the Earl of Halifax.

[1705.]

Pardon me my Lord,-If to a man that has seen nothing for some yeares, but the rough face of things, the exceeding goodness of your Lordship's discourse softned me even to a weakness I could not conceal.

"Tis a novelty, my Lord, I have not been us'd to, to receive obligations from persons of your Lordship's character and merit, nor indeed from any part of the world, and the return is a task too hard for me to undertake.

I am, my Lord, a plain and unpolish'd man, and perfectly unquallified to make formall acknowledgements; and a temper sour'd by a series of afflictions, renders me still the more awkward in the received method of common gratitude, I mean the ceremony of thanks.

But, my Lord, if to be encourag'd in giveing myself up to that service your Lordship is pleas'd so much to overvallue, if going on with the more cheerfullness in being usefull to, and promoteing the generall peace and interest of this nation, if to the last vigorously opposeing a stupid distracted Party, that are for ruining themselves rather than not destroy their neighbour, if this be to merit so much regard, your Lordship binds me in the most durable and to me the most pleasant engagement in the world, because 'tis a service that, with my gratitude to your Lordship, keeps an exact

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